The invention relates to internal combustion engines, especially diesel engines, and more particularly to improvements in cylinders for use in such engines. Still more particularly, the invention relates to cylinders of the type wherein the head of the cylinder has a first passage for admission of air into the combustion chamber and a second passage for evacuation of combustion products from the combustion chamber.
German Pat. No. 22 41 355 discloses a diesel engine wherein the passage for the admission of air contains vortex forming elements which induce the admitted air to circulate in and about the axis of the combustion chamber. A spray of fuel is admitted tangentially into the combustion chamber so that it penetrates into the circulating mass of air in the direction of flow of air during a predetermined stage of movement of the piston so as to ensure the establishment of a pronounced separation zone between an inner vortex which contains hot gaseous combustion products and an outer stratum which contains air. The quality of separation of the inner vortex from the outer stratum depends on the intensity of the vortex.
Reference may also be had to U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,363, granted Mar. 23, 1976 to Ludwig and Gunter Elsbett, which discloses a reciprocable piston internal combustion engine provided with a swirl forming passage.